The child out of time
by MarvelGeek
Summary: Clint has a secret, he's not who he says he is. He's the son of Bilbo Baggins and Thorin Oakenshield, born in Middle-earth. Then when a dwarf is captured by SHIELD, Clint's past comes to light along with the life he was forced to leave behind. The life of Crown Prince Taurus Oakenshield-Baggins. (Fíli, Kíli, and Thorin still live)
1. Chapter 1

Bilbo gazed at his baby boy sweetly, stroking the child's tufty blond hair as it curved around his tiny pointed ears. The little newborn made a mewling noise and snuggled his face into Bilbo's chest. The small hobbit chuckled and motioned for a tall, broad shouldered dwarf to join him at his side, Thorin nodded and hurried to his husband and son. A wide grin spread across Thorin's face as he looked at the boy.

He held a hand out to the babe and the newborn grasped his finger tightly, his grip extremely strong. Thorin laughed heartily at that and smiled at the boy.

"He's got the grip of a Dwarf!"

Thorin exclaimed, proudly and Bilbo smiled at his husband's joy, resting his own head against Thorin's broad chest, enjoying the familiar scent of mint leaves and musk.

"He'll make a great king one day, Uncle."

Spoke a familiar voice from the doorway, hobbit and dwarf alike turned to look at the door where they saw the twin grins of Kíli and Fíli, Fíli being the one who had spoken. Thorin instantly looked guilty as he had already chosen Fíli as his heir, he opened his mouth but Fíli silenced him with a hand.

"I never planned on being king, Uncle. My heart lies in other places. Our cousin will make an amazing king."

Fíli said, happily and Kíli nodded as well, both hurrying over excitedly to look at the boy. They pushed each other around for a good spot and Thorin resisted the urge to cuff them on both ears, the urge finally won out and both Fíli and Kíli whined loudly while rubbing their ears. Bilbo began to laugh at the amusing scene as he held his little boy close.

Welcome home...Taurus.

-TimeSkip(30years)(TaurusIsEight)-

"Tíli! Cousin!"

Kíli cried as both he and Fíli searched frantically around Erebor for little Taurus. The physically and mentally eight year old child was always getting into trouble or sneaking away unseen. Which they should've expected, since his 'mother' was their burglar. Fíli and Kíli ended up just walking around the castle in circles while Taurus watched them from the ceiling.

The small half-hobbit, half-dwarf child had assets from both his parents. He had the large hairy, hard-soled feet of a hobbit along with hobbit pointed ears, but he aged at a speed even slower than both dwarves and hobbits, he had the size of a hobbit as well and the slight build but they hoped he would grow as he aged. He had the keen senses and weapon skills of a dwarf though and he loved being in high places, like the rafters for instance.

Taurus giggled as he watched his battle-hardened cousins bumble around like idiots. The boy carefully maneuvered his way across the rafters, while he dreamed that he was on a shaking bridge with a pack of orcs behind him. But he wasn't afraid, because he was The Powerful King Taurus of the Dwarves! He would fight heroically and beat back all the orcs just like his Father! He couldn't wait till he could go on his own adventure.

Then, in the middle of his great dream, his foot slipped on the rafters and he toppled to the side. His eyes widened as he fell, it was a long way to the ground...and where he was, there was a pond below. Taurus couldn't swim.

"FÍLI! KÍLI! PAPA! FATHER!"

He screamed as he fell, hands stretching back towards the rafters but only touching air. He was terrified, with eyes stretched wide and tears full in his eyes. Fíli looked backwards when he heard Taurus' terrified wail, just in time to see the small child hit the icy pond and sink instantly.

"TAURUS!"

Fíli shrieked and took off running towards the pond, motioning for Kíli to go get their Uncles. He nodded, eyes wide and took off running, screaming for Thorin and Bilbo frantically. Fíli stripped off his boots and furred jerkin as he ran and dove into the chilly water, the water stung at his eyes but he pushed himself lower. He had to find Taurus.

While Kíli was running through the halls of Erebor as fast as he could to find his Uncles. Bofur was passing in the hall and grabbed Kíli's arm in worry for the young dwarf who looked terrified.

"Kíli? What's going on?"

Bofur asked and Kíli grabbed the dwarf by the shoulders, panting heavily.

"Taurus fell in the pond...Fíli went to save him...gotta find Bilbo... and Thorin."

Kíli panted and Bofur's eyes grew huge like saucers. He quickly pointed towards the throne room as he took off in the opposite direction.

"They're in the throne room! I'll find a healer!"

Bofur's cried over his shoulder and Kíli nodded, taking off towards the Throne room, his booted feet squeaking slightly against the polished floors near the Throne room. Kíli threw the door open as fast as he could and bolted inside.

He shoved whoever they were talking too, out of the way as he ran across the emerald colored catwalk where the thrones lay. Bilbo and Thorin looked up as he entered and they could both easily see the terror in his eyes.

"What is it, Kíli?"

Bilbo whispered, worriedly as he moved from his spot by Thorin's throne. Kíli could barely catch his breath but he managed to pant out a few words between gasps.

"..Taurus..pond...help..."

Within moments Thorin and Bilbo were up and running as fast as they could out of the throne room, once again with Kíli having to take the lead.

Fíli was utterly petrified, he had been up for air at least three times and he still had yet to find Taurus, the boy was drowning for Pete's sake! He dove down again as hard he could, searching for anything that could lead him to his little cousin. That's when he saw it, the glint of beads that go in a dwarf's hair. That had to be him!

He dove deeper and grabbed the hair and the limp body attached to it, scooping the waterlogged child into his arms. He swam upwards as fast as he could and swam towards the shore, as soon as his feet could touch the bottom he dragged himself up and out of the water, slumped over by the child's weight in his arms.

"TAURUS!"

He heard Bilbo screech and blinked blearily as he saw Bilbo, Thorin, Kíli, Bofur and Òri hurrying towards them. Kíli, Bofur and Òri stopped at the water's edge but Thorin and Bilbo completely ignored it as they ran into the water to meet Fíli halfway and take Taurus into their arms.

The little boy was pale and cold as ice and his lips were tinted blue, as Thorin took him into his arms. He ran for the bank where he laid him on his back and felt the boy's chest for breath, he felt nothing. He began to pound on the boy's chest furiously, as hard as he could. Bilbo held his own breath as he knelt by his husband and son.

Finally, Taurus gave a great heaving breath and then whipped his head to the side and vomited up a great deal of water. He was shaking and mewling softly as he looked up at Thorin and Bilbo who were both smiling at him in relief. They both pulled him to their chests and hugged him relentlessly. Bilbo was crying.

-TimeSkip(AFewDaysLater)-

Taurus stared out the window from his room in Erebor, he'd been confined to his room for three days and he hated it. Why did they always have to be so protective?! He huffed angrily and watched as his breath clouded up the window's surface.

Then he had an idea, if he could escape his room and castle and get down to the bottom floor caverns, then he could prove that he could take care of himself just fine! Besides, future kings had to be able to do that, to brave the scariest bottom caverns.

Taurus grabbed his long knife off of his night-table and slid it into a rucksack along with an extra bag of beads and some bread. Then he swung on his bag and popped the lock open on his window, swinging it open and hopping out. He dug his hands into the crevices in the wall as he climbed down quickly. He'd never climbed from out of his window before but he did like climbing in general.

Bilbo had wanted him to be a Baggins, a quiet, little half-hobbit who didn't go on any adventures. But the Took blood and the dwarf in him wouldn't let him be a normal hobbit or even a normal dwarf, because he did love gold, he really did. Just not the way that his father or the rest of the dwarves did, they loved it for its wealth, he loved it for its beauty. So Taurus was a race all his own, he was an Taurus and he liked it that way.

Once he was only a few feet away from the ground he hopped down and darted around the castle, trying to find the secret way in that Kíli had shown him many years ago. When he found the tiny hole, he grinned widely. That hole was too small for a dwarf but just the right size for a hobbit.

So little Taurus got down on his belly and used his elbows to propel himself into the hole, it was a little bit of a squish but he managed to keep moving as the tunnel dipped lower and lower. It stank of mold and other unsavory things as he ventured deeper but he paid no mind to them, his curiosity was too strong. But when the tunnel began to open up he would admit that he was relieved.

It opened up to a huge room, a room covered in gold and precious jewels. Taurus looked around with wide eyes and smiled as he looked at all the riches in the room. There was no doubt that father knew about this place, father knew about EVERYTHING. He was lucky to have Papa or he might have gotten a big head.

Taurus curiously searched through the mountains and mountains of riches looking for something fun to play with, that's when he found it. It was a huge, white arched mirror. There were words written on the sides but they weren't words that Taurus understood, they weren't in any of the two languages he knew.

The mirror seemed to have an odd, blue hue around it as Taurus studied it further and it seemed to be almost humming when he touched it. He peered into the mirror and then screamed as he tripped on something invisible to him, and toppled into the mirror. He waited for the sounds of glass crunching and the feeling of his head hitting the mirror but all he felt was like he was floating. Then his vision went black.

-TimeSkip-

"Kid! Hey kid?"

A gruff male voice snapped at him and Taurus blinked open his eyes, to see a stockily built but still tall young man with brown hair and a five'o clock shadow on his face. Taurus hurriedly climbed to his feet and looked around his surroundings. This was nothing like home, it was covered in ice and snow.

"Kid?"

The man spoke again, looking annoyed and Taurus managed to stammer out his name.

"Hi, I'm Taurus."

He whispered and the man smiled, as he ruffled his hair gently. Then he gestured to the land around them, the freezing barren landscape.

"Well, Taurus. Why are you out here? We're on a mission, we're the Howling Commandos by the way. I'm Bucky Barnes."

Bucky said, happily as he led the shivering eight year old back to their campsite. He didn't like to see children left out in the cold.

-70years later-

Taurus had been many people over the years, because they noticed that he didn't age fast enough. He'd been the nameless boy Taurus for a little while before becoming, Derrick Carter, Pip Conner, Wade Neman, Ashton D'Arc and finally Clint Barton. He knew that once he turned 26, he wouldn't age any further, at least his body wouldn't


	2. An Unearthed Past

Chapter 2- An Unearthed Past

Clint stared at himself in the mirror, making sure to go over the cracks in his glamour. It was his glamour that made his ears appear normal, that made his height slightly greater, just small things that made him appear more human. The only things he couldn't change were his feet, they remained hobbit huge, hairy and tough soled. So he always wore shoes, his feet could give him away at anytime.

He sighed as he studied his face. He still had baby soft skin with absolutely no facial hair like an average hobbit, despite him being half-dwarf. He resembled Kíli in that department. He smiled fondly at the memory of his dear cousin and winced at the twinge of pain it caused in his heart. He had gotten used to being a'human', in fact he enjoyed the life he created but there was still the small part of his heart that still longed and pined for Erebor.

Clint could picture it perfectly, the dungeons deep and caverns old, the way the mountain seemed to stroke the sky. He remembered the way his father had held him on his shoulders as they looked over their kingdom, he had been so eager to be king as a child. Still naive and innocent to the traitorous ways of the world, now he was far different. Now he knew how it felt when someone you loved died, what is was like to feel powerless and to be tortured beyond comprehension. What it was like, as you watched your friends' hair turn gray, while you stayed young.

He remembered the way their eyes would wrinkle around the edges, how their hands would begin to shake with age and they would become feeble and fragile. Then he would always be there as they died, wishing with all his might that he could turn back the hands of time or at the very least, that he could die as well. He unconsciously began to search for signs of aging in his friends, every time he would see something minuscule like a gray hair, he would freak out.

That amplified when he joined the Avengers, but this time he was slightly reassured. Thor was a god, he would never die, Steve was the same because he was a super soldier. They didn't know how the hulk would age Bruce, Tony and Natasha were the only true humans but Tony was a genius and would undoubtably find a way to live forever and he couldn't even picture Natasha submitting to something like death. And him? His body would stop aging when it reached the age of 26.

Clint finally stopped peering at himself long enough to leave the bathroom and go downstairs where he smashed into Steve who was apparently going up to get him. The super soldier's eyes widened and he grabbed Clint before he could topple down the rest of the stairs.

"Woah! Clint! Fury wants us to meet him in the Helicarrier."

Steve stammered as he looked at the archer worriedly, but Clint just waved off the concern with a smile and pushed past the super soldier.

-TimeSkip-

Clint was zoned out and disinterested as Fury stood in front of them, menacingly. He was debriefing them about something or another, but Clint was more interested in seeing if he could toss a pencil across the room and still hit Tony in the head.

"We currently have a prisoner. He calls himself Fíli and claims that he's a dwarf."

Clint had been swallowing as Fury said that and he instantly started coughing as he clutched at his throat. Fíli? His cousin? He was here?! He couldn't explain the way his heart practically exploded in joy. They all looked at him in varying levels irritation and concern but he waved them off as he stood.

"Can we see the prisoner?!"

Clint gasped and Fury nodded as he motioned for them to follow him out of the room. He looked at Clint oddly as he moved towards the door but Clint ignored him. Tony rested his hand on Clint's shoulder gently and the archer raised an eyebrow at the movement but Tony took off his hand and held them up as he backed away.

"Sorry Legolas. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Tony snapped and Clint just rolled his eyes at the genius, turning and focusing on Fury as he led them through the intertwining halls of the Helicarrier. Then they saw the clear cage they had used for containment of the Hulk and the burly man inside. Clint and the others drew closer so they could get a good look at the man.

He was heavily muscled, strong and burly with long braided blond hair and a long blond beard, he had a sword a his hip and was glaring at them as if his life depended on it. Clint's gasp caught in his throat as he looked at his cousin, the bruises littering his arms and face. Undoubtably from the SHIELD agents so they could contain him.

"I am not a monster and I refuse to be treated as such!"

Fíli bellowed and Fury rolled his eye as the rest of the Avengers gaped at the man.

"Then stop claiming to be a mythical creature."

Fury snapped but Thor's eyes widened as he studied Fíli quietly, then he gasped. Turning anger on Fury.

"You can't hold a dwarf of middle-earth like this! Especially not one of the royal family!"

Thor bellowed and Fury's eye widened along with those of the most of the Avengers and Tony stammered in surprise.

"Really? Middle-earth is real? Is it like Asguard?"

Tony asked and Thor nodded, they all then looked at the creature in the cell and Clint just remained speechless as Fíli spoke again, eyes focused on Clint.

"Why do you disbelieve our realm when you have a creature of middle-earth right in your mist?"

Fíli asked and all the Avengers turned to Clint who had dropped to his knees in front of the containment unit and had both hands on it, his head bowed as tears slowly dripped down his cheeks. This was his fault, the reason his cousin was locked up like this and hurt. All his fault. He but his lip and looked at Fíli with tearful and wide eyes.

"Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To seek the pale enchanted gold.

The dwarves of yore made mightly spells,

While hammers fell like ringing bells

In places deep, where dark things sleep,

In hollow halls beneath the fells."

Clint sang softly, the song Father loved to sing of their adventures when he was young and strong, Fíli's eyes widened in recognition and he threw himself down in front of the wall and began to sing with Clint, who's glamour had begun to fade.

"For ancient king and elvish lord

There many a gleaming golden hoard

They shaped and wrought, and light they caught

To hide in gems on hilt of sward.

On silver necklaces they strung

The flowering stars, on crowns they hung

The dragon-fire, in twisted wire

They meshed the light of moon and sun.

Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeouns deep and caverns old

We must away, ere break of day,

To claim our long-forgotten gold."

Clint now looked as if he was supposed too, hair light and curled around both pointed ears, hobbit feet free of their shoes and height as small as he was supposed to be. Fíli could have leapt for joy, he knew those eyes. Wide green eyes full of happiness and life, they gleamed brighter than the shiniest gold.

"Goblets they carved there for themselves

And harps of gold; where no man delves

There lay they long, and many a song

Was sung unheard by men or elves.

The pines were roaring on the height,

The winds were moaning in the night,

The fire was red, it flaming spread;

The trees like torches blazed with light.

The bells were ringing in the dale

And men looked up with faces pale;

The dragon's ire more fierce than fire

Laid low their towers and houses frail. "

Clint and Fíli sang together, Fíli was overjoyed that his dear little cousin hadn't forgotten one of his people's proudest songs. For now he knew without a doubt that this young man was Taurus, Crown Prince Under the Mountain.

"The mountain smoked beneath the moon;

The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.

They fled their hall to dying fall

Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.

Far over the misty mountains grim

To dungeons deep and caverns dim

We must away, ere break of day,

To win our harps and gold from him!"

They sang and the Avengers stared openly at the odd pair, they had never heard Clint sing never the less, look like this.

"The pines were roaring on the height,

The winds were moaning in the night,

The fire was red, it flaming spread;

The trees like torches blazed with light.

The bells were ringing in the dale

And men looked up with faces pale;

The dragon's ire more fierce than fire

Laid low their towers and houses frail."

They finished their song and Fíli whooped in joy, banging his fists hints the heavy hulk proof walls around him. Clint just grinned at him, widely and laughed loudly. All the Avengers looked at them confused and Clint stood up to face them. His eyes had turned dark and solemn as he gazed at them.

"I-I lied to you. My true name is Taurus Oakenshield-Baggins, Crown Prince Under the Mountain."


	3. The Needed Prince

Chapter 3- The Needed Prince

Now, not many things could surprise the Avengers, they had a Norse God and a man who shape changed into a green hulk for Pete's sake. But their archer, who was by far the most normal of their group of oddities, telling them that he was from a mystical land took the cake.

"Y-You're what?"

Tony managed to stammer, hoarsely. Before clearing his throat and staring wide-eyed at the archer who just gave a small smile and ran a hand though his curly locks, exposing his pointed ears.

"In all absolute truth, I did not tell you what I was, but who I was. But because you asked, I'm half-dwarf and half-hobbit. All though I do resemble a hobbit much more than a dwarf, you can blame my Papa's genes for that. My Papa is Bilbo Baggins by the way, my Father on the other hand is Thorin Oakenshield."

Clint babbled nervously, the same habit that Bilbo had, when he himself was nervous. Fíli smiled at that, his little cousin really had grown up, then his heart sank as he remembered why he had come. He hadn't meant to stumble upon Taurus, but he had come for assistance.

"So you're saying that you're from Middle-Earth and that Thorin and Bilbo are real and your parents?"

Tony asked, eyes full of disbelief and Clint just nodded, staring at his hairy hobbit feet instead of the eyes of his friends. Then he almost jumped out of his skin in surprise as Thor grabbed him into a hug, lifting him off of the ground easily. Clint smiled as he was almost crushed by his eager friend's grip.

"You are the lost prince of Middle-Earth, Man of Hawk's Eyes? This is splendid! The people of your realm have been searching for you for decades!"

Thor exclaimed, joyously as he finally released Clint and sent him sprawling. But he was grinning all the same. Steve offered him a hand and pulled Clint to his feet, giving him a small smile and pat on the back. Which he knew was acceptance from the super soldier. While Tony just laughed and ran a hand through his choppy black hair.

"Well, I guess Legolas was the wrong nickname for you, huh, Peter Pan?"

Clint raised an eyebrow at the name then he sighed in understanding.

"Peter Pan? Oh...it's the ears isn't it?"

Tony grinned and nodded at Clint's sigh and eye roll.

"So Peter, where's Tink?"

Tony added and Clint swung his leg forwards to kick Tony in the shin, but the self-proclaimed genius-playboy-philanthropist moved out of the way just in time. Tony laughed at Clint who stuck his tongue out at him childishly.

That's when Fíli cleared his throat, awkwardly and knocked gently on the glass. Clint's eyes widened and he spun around to look at Fury.

"Let him out!"

He ordered, still ticked off at the fact that they had held Fíli captive in the first place. Each bruise on his cousin's face made him angrier. Fury just nodded, bending at the death glare that Clint shot at him.

Fury unlocked the side door to the cage and led out Fíli, who was soon seized in a hug from Clint. He buried his face in his cousin's jerkin, it still smelled of Erebor and smoke, just like it had the day he had saved him from drowning, all those years ago.

"I've missed you."

Clint murmured into Fíli's jerkin and his cousin gently ran his hands through his curly locks. Clint gently pulled away and noticed the look of grim sadness on his cousin's face. Fíli always had worn his emotions on his face.

"Fíli? Cousin, what's wrong?"

Clint whispered and Fíli avoided the questioning gaze, staring instead at his empty hands.

"I did not come here because of you, cousin. It was amazing to find you after all these years, but I originally came for Thor. We need his assistance. Smaug has returned, Taurus. We've been run out of Erebor again...but this time he has taken someone with him."

Fíli said mournfully and Clint stared at him in ever growing horror.

"Who?"

He whimpered and Fíli bent forwards to whisper in his ear. The moment the words left Fíli's mouth, Clint just collapsed to his knees, staring at Fíli in disbelief while the dwarf avoided his gaze.

Tony was first to step forwards in confusion, looking at the horror on Clint's face.

"What happen, who was taken?"

Tony asked and Fíli just hung his head as he answered, clearly blaming himself for the events that had transpired.

"Our kingdom has been taken over again by the dragon that took it many years ago, Taurus' Papa, Bilbo Baggins has been captured by the dragon and is being held hostage. While our King, Thorin Oakenshield, who is also Taurus' Father has been wounded and we are still hoping for his recovery."

Fíli whispered and avoided Clint's eyes, it was all his fault.


End file.
